1. Field
The present invention relates generally to computer security applications, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for using imperfections and irregularities in optical media for identification purposes.
2. Background
Optical media and optical fiber have become ideal mediums for storing and communicating digital data. In recent years a focus of both these applications has moved to working out ways to make such storage and communications secure. A basic component of any security system is authenticating not only the sender and receiver of secure communications or data, but also the devices that are used as part of the storage and communications process.
Methods for securing data and communications include the introduction of secure components that have had a unique identity intentionally embedded into the component. These are known in the art as dongles. Another approach is to embed a unique identifier into the component itself. An example of this in the art is using secure computing platforms where the main CPU features a hard coded serial number that cannot be changed or modified after manufacture. Another example which is also currently in the art is CD-ROM disk serialization where a unique number is permanently added or written to the disk for reference by the software as it runs from the same disk.
One disadvantage of the above approaches to digital security and authentication is that the intentional identification of a device, by the use of a manufactured identifier or serialization number, is a specific and easily traced means of identification. This means that attackers and or reverse engineers have a specific and quantifiable target to initiate an attack on the security system. The approach described by the invention allows a wide and diverse range of identifiers to be used to uniquely identify the protected optical media or piece of fiber. This in turn significantly complicates the initial stages of any attacking or tampering process in that there is no central and easily identifiable identification device or serial number to attack.
Another disadvantage is the cost of manufacturing and connecting manufactured identifiers to the medium to be protected or authenticated. Considerable effort and expense is usually associated with ensuring that the manufactured identifiers cannot be separated from the optical media or optical fiber. For example, much of the expenses is associated with the writing of software that verifies the presence of and authenticate the manufactured identifier.
It is desirable that the disadvantages identified above be addressed.